Gustave l



GUSTAVE L. HEM, OF NEW YORK, 11'. Y.

COMBINED SPARK INDICATOR AND INTENSIFIER.

719 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUsTAvn L. l-Innz, a. citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Combined Spark Indicators and Intensifiers, of which the following is a specification.

In multi-cylinder gas engines of the internal combustion type the best results are obtained when the spar s of the spark plugs are as intense as possible and when all of the spark plugs are kept in good sparking condition.

The greater the number of cylinders the more important these features become.

The object of my invention is to provide a spark indicator and intensifier consisting of an instrument which may he placed in the electric circuit at a convenient point such as at the instrument or dashboard where the failure of any of the spark plugs of the engine to properly spark will be immediately indicated at the spark gap for that particular plug.

l A 'further object is to provide an instrument of the above character in which the electrodes of the spark gaps are arranged in recesses so that the darkness of the recess even when the instrument is in a very bright light will effectively display the spark at the spark gap if its plug is sparking propcrlv.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents the instrument in front elevation,

Fig. 2 represents the instrument in back elevation, and

Fig. 3 represents the instrument in section taken in the plane of the line A A of Fig. 1.

.The insulating block 1 of the instrument is provided with a housing 2 having a suitable flange 3 for securin the instrument to its support. This housing 2 is provided with a single transparent window 4 throu h which all (if the spark gaps with which t e instrument is provided may be observed.

This insulating block 1; carries the electrodes of a plurality of spark gaps one for each cylinder spark plug. In the present instance, the instrument is shown as designed for use in connection with four spark plugs but it is to be understood that the in- Speclflcation of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 21, 1015.

Patented Oct. 7, 1919.

swarm. as,oao.

strument may be designed for any number desired.

The front of the insulating block 1 has a plurality of spark gap recesses 5, within which recesses are located the electrodes 6, 7, of the s ark gaps. The back of this insulating b ock 1 has a plurality of airs of recesses 8, 9, 1n which are located 0 its of cups 10, 11, for receiving the terminals of the spark plug wires, not shown,which termlnals may be of any well known or approved form.

Each electrode 6 comprises a rod which is screw threaded into its metal cup 10 the head of which electrode is surrounded b the sparking points of the other electrode which other electrode comprises a ring electrically connected to the cup 11 throu h the rods 12, 13, the rod 13 having a screw threaded engagement with the said cup.

The mouths of the spark gap recesses 5 may be made flush, as shown and a. plate 14 may be interposed between the front of the insulating block 1 and the window 4, which plate will have openings thcrethrough in alinement with the spark gap recesses 1n the block so that all of the spark gaps will be seen through the common window 4.

From the above description it will be seen that not only will the arks at the s ark plugs be intensified by t e provision o the spark aps, thus preventin to a great de gree, t e fouling of the e ectrodes of the spark plugs, but also the instrument may be placed at a convenient oint where the proper operation of all 0 the spark plugs can be observed, the instrument at the same time being simple and compact and readily inserted into the spark phig circuitc'.

It is evident hnt the particular construction of the electrodes of the be chan d as desired, one em odiment only being s own herein.

It will also be seen that. the spark fghps may be adjusted by the adjustment 0 electrodes 6, the sparkin end of the said electrodes being rovide with kerfs, if so desired, for facilitating the adj ustment of the said electrodes with respect to the sparklug points of the electrodes 7.

ark gaps may uitable meansmay be employed for removably securing the housing 2 and the plate 14 to the insulating block if so desired. -It is evident that slight changes may be resorted to in the form, construction'end.

arrangement of the several arts without departing from the spirlt an scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to imit myself strictly to the structure herein set forth, but

What I claim is 1. A spark indicator and intensifier consisting of an instrument comprising an insulating hlock having it plurality of front recesses therein, the elec rodes of a spark gap located in each recess and arranged for connection with their spark plug terminals through the back of the block, a housing for the block and a common window carried by Quid housing, covering said front recesses.

2. A spark indicator and intensifier consisting of n instrument com :risiu an insulatin hlock havin a pluru ity of rccesscs in its rent and a. urality of pairs of reeesses in its back, t 1e electrodes of a Spitl'li grip being located in each front recess anu' metal cups in each pair of hack recesses for connecting the span-k gnp electrodes to their l'l'spcvlive spark plug wires.

3. A, spark indicator and intensifier consisling of an instrument comprising an insulul ing hlock having it plurality of recesses in its front and u plurality of pairs of rct'l'ssls in iln hock, the electrodes o'l' a spark gap living located in each front recess :uul nu-lnl cups in each pair of buck recesses lolconnectingthe spark gap electrodes to their rcepcctive xpurk plug wires, and e homing for the block lmving 2t common win- (lUW covering the spark gap P6005505, through which window the spark gaps may he seen.

In l'crl'iinon y, that I claim the foregoing as my lllYll'ltlfln. I have signer] my home this eighth (in of December 1915.

GUSTAVE L. H ERZ. 

